HOTD: A Dream of Armageddon
by Dante-SonofSparda-EX21
Summary: Conspiracies. Investigations. Revolution. Rika Minami and Tajima will have to work together with MARSOC forces to put a stop to a black market deal that could result in the end of the world if not dealt with. Prequel to HOTD: Semper Fidelis.
1. Chapter 1: International Relations

**Author's note:** I wonder if this will bite me in the ass or not. I will be working on dual projects, HOTD: Semper Fidelis and now this. This will feature strictly the cause of the outbreak in Japan and etc. Cpl. James Sullivan and Cpl. Johnny Beckett will play a pivotal role in this, along with some actual HOTD characters like Rika Minami, Tajima, and other important figures of HOTD's actual realm. Think of this as a prequel to HOTD: Semper Fidelis, in chapters of Semper Fidelis there will be hints of Sullivan's involvement in the outbreak but it won't be heavily covered in that installment. So why not do dual projects? I'm so goddamn moto right now, I have to try it. Your reviews and responses will either make or break this effort. This is for all of you! Enjoy!

P.S. There might be some slightly offensive dialogue in this as it retains the realism of American troops and when faced with conflicts like International Relations, like the chapter's title. Do not think any less of this and try to enjoy. Like I said crossing lines and breaking out of fields will make or break this story, so please do not hesitate.

**Chapter I: International Relations**

"You motherfucking punk ass bitch! You did it now Sullivan, this is my hood, my piece of the pie, you city slicker fuck!" Yelled the man with the Alabama southern drawl accent that almost barely heard in the background with all the death metal in the background. The other man just grunted in response as he twisted his body from underneath the burly southerner and kicked him off, the southerner landed on the deck of the recreation room with a thud as the other stood up and rubbed the blood from his lip and stuck his tongue at him.

"Heh, gonna have to try harder than that Beckett. Just show me how big that piece of pie I took from you really is." Corporal James Sullivan said in a metaphorical sense as the other Marine known as Corporal Johnny Beckett glared at his equal and rushed him down, throwing his fist towards the other's face. With the agility and prowl of a serpent, James swooped right under his arm and was now right behind him.

The second Beckett turned around; James's fist had already collided against Beckett's cheek, who jerked back from the force in that punch. James was already going for a second hit, with a left hook towards his temple but that was quickly intercepted by Beckett who launched a straight left at James's face. Now the fight was on.

Getting hit by his straight, James would stagger back a bit leaving Beckett room to try and punch his lights out. Like a boxer and how Marines trained in the mixed martial arts of MCMAP, well the boxing part of their mixed martial arts, Beckett swooped in on James's backed up stature getting in real close on him. The southerner attempted to start launching some quick blows to his gut, in succession he'd repeatedly punch out James's stomach. Grunting he'd take that pain but that adrenaline from all of those hits had fueled him to just swing his left arm around his head and use his right to throw some punches down at his direction, all going to that blond head of his. After three punches, James would just pick him up all together with both arms, swinging him to the wall, with a big slam.

The crowd went wild for that one. The crowd in this situation was their fellow Marines. Marines of MARSOC, more specifically 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Bravo Company decided to pass their time of waiting for some important operation that called them out of their duty station; Camp Lejeune in North Carolina all the way to Camp Butler in Okinawa, Japan. They decided the way to pass time was to have their own Marines fight each other. They didn't hate each other, in fact Beckett and Sullivan have been friends since boot camp, and it's just the way grunts operate. They may be sparring but in fact, it goes deeper than that.

They all dressed similar with their desert MARPAT cammies, their sleeves rolled up all the way to their biceps. The only difference was that Sullivan and Beckett was that they didn't had their cammies blouse on because of their fighting, they just had their now sweaty and bloody skin tight olive green skivvy shirts. The only way you can tell who they are if you didn't know them was the name tapes on their butts. Same pattern that's on their cammies blouse. On the right cheek it says their last name and on the left cheek, it says **U.S. MARINES**.

With Beckett stunned from the blows to the head and the slam, James would use this time to mount him against the wall and just wail on him. Using his left forearm to hold his neck and choke him a bit he'd use his other to punch him out, over and over again. Gagging and grunting, Beckett was defenseless to James's assault. Picking up his head, James attempted to turn him around would slam his head against the wall. But Beckett wasn't going to go down that easy, right when James had his head and was going to force it against the wall he put his palms against the bulkhead and held himself up.

"Wh-what!" James grunted in shock, Beckett used this to his advantage and grabbed his wrist, twisting it in his grip and watched his fellow Devil Dog grind his teeth in pain never allowing himself to give Beckett the pleasure of making him scream. A pleased smirk would curl on Beckett's lips as he slammed his fist into James's face three times, making the last one the hardest. Fighting out of Beckett's grip he stumbled about and held his mouth and cheek, grunting loudly.

"Oh shit! Not the face nigga, you know Sullivan is a pretty boy like us! C'mon, you can't do that to someone who's in the Pretty boy swag!" yelled Private First Class Brandon "Drizzy" Taylor, he got his name from looking similar to Drake and being from Houston or what people from there like to call it thanks to Drake 'Houstalantavegas'. He also referred to the 'pretty boy swag' being that Sullivan, Beckett, and two other Marines from 1st Recon Battalion are 'pretty boys'.

"Who knows, maybe he wants the spotlight to himself. People from Alabama are like that, what do you expect Drizzy?" Said Lance Corporal Daniel "Archer" Suarez with a ghost of a chuckle. Archer earned his callsign from his superb skills with a rifle. More specifically: a sniper rifle, hailing from 1st Force Recon Company (1st FORECON) as a Scout Sniper for Force Recon before MARSOC was created. He has history with Beckett and Sullivan being in their unit when Force Recon was out there.

Beckett pushed his spiky blond stands back and blew Drizzy a kiss before charging at James in an attempt to haymaker him in the face to call it a night. But the unthinkable happened; James amazingly intercepted it and swung behind him, holding him in place. Beckett stumbled about in James's grip, using the hold to his advantage he'd start throwing bombs in the form of elbows towards the back of his head, over and over and over again! The crowd of Marines actually cheered on for each and every blow that James inflicted upon Beckett's cranium. Upon the last blow he shoved Beckett off of him into the table that actually was pushed back with him. Sullivan backed up all the way to the opposite side of the room waiting for Beckett to get back up.

In the meantime, the last two Marines in the room had grabbed the table and lifted it together to move it out of the way of the brawl. One of them shook his head and sighed, "Why the hell did I let you talk me into this?" asked Sergeant George Harrington as he looked up at his superior enlisted Staff non-commissioned officer (SNCO) who was almost as immature as these junior Marines when he's not serious. That perpetrator of being immature half of the time was Gunnery Sergeant Adam Mayweather who held the other end of the table helping Harrington move it, the Gunny laughed in response.

"C'mon! You have to agree with me here, having Sullivan and Beckett duke it out is the greatest idea. Plus we make money on the side. You know how many Marines and Sailors who aren't in the dorms right now betting on this shit?" replied the Gunny as he sat the table down and sat on it, Harrington shook his head knowing the facts that at least a good two hundred was on the fight.

"Yeah I know, but what if Lieutenant Miller comes in? Does he know about this?" He said crossing his arms and glaring at his old high school friend.

Mayweather nodded and put his finger in the air as if he was making a point. "Yeah he actually does. I told him that the Corporals wanted to practice their MCMAP to improve the effectiveness of our unit in the arts of close-quarters-combat and we're going to have a little sparring session while we wait it out for our XO to come through. Even out el-tee Miller put some money down on the pot, he bet on Sully and so did I. Basically as long as we don't get too crazy with the sparring we're good."

The Sergeant shook his head and pointed at Beckett and James bleeding and bruised up. "You call that not getting too crazy?"

Mayweather waved his hand dismissively. "Nope, come on you know it's a good idea? C'mon! Give me some love Georgi man!"

Hearing his old nickname he laughed and shook his head and didn't say a word as he watched the fight, inwardly enjoying it.

"Come on, Beckett. Come on!" James beckoned, feeling the rush of the fight flowing through his veins. His raw nature kicked in, the same determination not to give up, just like his father didn't do in Fallujah, Iraq. Plus he always did want to spar with his brother in arms and see just who the better Marine is.

Beckett got back up and rushed over to him like a raging bull! James stayed there calm and ready and when the time came when Beckett got too close, James sidestepped grabbing his shoulder and swinging his leg into the back of Beckett's shin and slammed him onto the floor, face first! James immediately got back up and walked around the southerner's fallen body, the towering Marine growled in frustration and pounded the floor before staggering himself back up.

Taking the time for Beckett to stagger get back up, James crouched down and waited, and waited. Archer looked at what he was doing, just what was he doing? The second Beckett brought his head back up, James whipped his body like a corkscrew falling unto the floor but while doing so he chop blocked Beckett's shin causing him to fall right back down to the floor on the back of his head. Archer's eyes widened at this and really were getting more hyped up than usual for a fight. This was amazing, how was James pulling off all these moves? Was this some kind of rivalry, between Beckett pulling those counters and now James? This was just purely the best fight he had ever seen yet. James got back up and walked around his downed body with a big smirk on his face.

"Come on, ugly! Get back up so I can knock you down again!" James yelled out tauntingly as he waited for him to get back up. Beckett immediately got back up and James got ready assuming the same crouching stance again, Beckett threw in a haymaker for James to intercept again but that was Beckett's plan for him to that because when he did that Beckett used his immense strength to drag him towards him which would knock James off of his balance and leave him open, with this Beckett started punching up at James's gut three times then slithered his arm out of his grip to use it to punch his back.

James staggered back holding his back and grunting, Beckett with this had tried to give him a right hook clean across his face but it missed with James sweeping under his arm, dodging to the side. Beckett with that miss tried to go for a left hook which James did the same method for dodging, and once more for Beckett's right straight jab. James standing up from that little wave of dodging would taunt him more.

"Come on, let's get it!" James yelled with his fist up in the air for more. Beckett getting more frustrated would continue in the left and right hooks but James would keep dodging right and left, side to side. Sweeping himself under those heavy hands from his assault, getting back up from his dodges he'd taunt him some more.

"Come on, Johnny! Come on! Come on!" The one blow that he didn't dodge hit him in his stomach but James took it, in fact he grabbed the arm and Beckett himself and picked him up with one adrenaline filled grab and tossed the blond over to the wall, Beckett grunting he'd hold his back only for James to shoulder thrust him right back onto the bulkhead's surface then give him a solid right hook across the face putting Beckett down to the ground. The Marines went wild and James backed up and turned around walking over to the other side trying to catch his breath thinking that it was over.

"You are a fucking idiot…never turn your back on your enemy! YOU HEAR ME JAMES?" Beckett yelled over to James who heard that, he turned around too late only to see Beckett to get back up immediately and tackle him down to the floor from behind. It was like getting hit by a car! The two went down to the floor hard and Beckett picked him up getting him in a reverse bear hug where James's back was against the blonde's chest. James yelled loudly in agonizing pain as he felt the pressure that Beckett was using in those large arms of his to try and break him in two. When Marines spar, they don't play around, it's for keeps.

He could slowly feel the adrenaline and fuel stem down from this but then it came back to him, with his mind deciding it wasn't over till the fat lady sang. And she wasn't singing tonight, not for James! The only swan song to be heard would be from Beckett as he threw three elbows towards his face as he was in the hold. The bear hug was loosening up and that's where James made him move, breaking out of his grip he whipped himself behind Beckett and grabbed him in the same hold, not getting him in a bear hug but actually picking him up in a reverse belly to back slam yelling as he slammed him against the ground! This wasn't a fight anymore, this was a war! The Marines went even wilder, jumping onto tables and chairs and jumping around being more animated as the fight escalated.

"Hey! Calm yourselves down, Marines!" Sergeant Harrington yelled, and they all complied and stood back on the deck watching the fight. Still screaming loudly in pure entertainment.

James got up and quickly backed up assuming his hands up to his face, Beckett did the same and they rushed each other head on at the same time. James launched a right straight and Beckett launched a left. They winded grabbing each other's fists and grappling in the most intense duel ever. They locked eyes with each other the entire time, observing each other with their blue and jade colored eyes. They saw how bloody their lips were, their bruises and what not. They were equal, they stared each other trying to overpower the other.

Archer watched this but he had a funny feeling, tapping Drizzy he'd get his attention. "Hey PFC, go check the hallways for a sec."

Drizzy quickly obliged and ran outside to see if anyone was on their way, covering his mouth he'd notice on his 12 'o clock was Colonel Edward M. Jeffries Jr who was the XO of 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, along with 1st Lieutenant Nathaniel Miller who was their CO, and an unknown group of Asian soldiers accompanying them. Running back inside, Drizzy pushed the hatches open and slapped on the hinges.

"Officers on deck!" he yelled. Instantaneously everyone had to get squared away and disciplined as possible. Beckett and James stopped fighting and stood straight in attention, their lips and forehead's bleeding out and their cheeks red. Despite the pain they felt from each other's wounds, they stood in attention as straight as an arrow. All the other Marines ran around trying to make the room look as squared away as possible, they turned off the music, fixed the table, and hid the empty beer bottles. When their make-shift field day was finished they all stood in a line with Mayweather and Harrington in front of them waiting for the officers to come in.

And there they were, 1st Lt. Nathaniel Miller and Col. Edward M. Jeffries Jr were the first ones in the room. Once they stepped in, the enlisted Marines saluted the two officers in their presence. The two officers returned the salute, with the Colonel chuckling under his breath. "At ease, Marines."

At his command, they stood at parade rest and stared straight-ahead. Colonel Jeffries Jr's chuckling stopped once he noticed the major differences Beckett and Sullivan had from the other men. The other men didn't look like they've been through hell and back, plus they were missing their blouses that held their rank and name. Clearing his throat, the Colonel tapped Miller.

"Um, Lieutenant Miller? Why are your men not wearing their blouses? Do they think they are hot shit or something because they are Special Operators? Plus why do they look like they've been beaten to a bloody pulp? You runnin' some fight club or something?" The Colonel asked as he put his hands on his hips and stared down at the young officer, Miller glanced at Mayweather and Harrington before returning his sights on the full-blown head of 1st MSOB to answer him.

"I don't have the answer to why they don't have their blouses on, perhaps they wanted to be able to fully be able to perform their CQC exercises without the blouse hindering their abilities. My Marines were practicing their MCMAP techniques in sparring sessions, between Cpl. Sullivan and Cpl. Beckett these two has known each other for years so I can say that the spar must have gotten pretty intense." Miller's words made James and Beckett smirk inwardly as he continued on. "They wanted to remain fully able to say they are prepared for anything. From shooting to hand-to-hand combat. And from the looks of it, Bravo Company is ready." the Lieutenant says with his words as smooth as velvet departing from his lips able to soothe the Colonel into submission. A nod and a wave of his hands as he walked over to the hatch and leaned against it.

"Very well, in any case before I tell you all the reason that you're here tonight I should probably introduce you people to the other members of your team." The Colonel said as he poked his head out the door and waved a group of people to come inside.

All the enlisted Marines whispered amongst each other in confusion. This was Bravo Company's platoon, the one that does practically everything. This was the team. Why would they need new members of the team, and who are they? James felt obliged to try and find out before they come in. "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

The Colonel while whispering to the unknown people in Japanese; Miller. Beckett, and James was the one Marines who spoke Japanese fluently besides the Colonel, with the exception of Beckett since he only knows so little. "Granted, what do you need son?"

"Why do we need more people on our team? We're MARSOC, sir. We are more than capable of handling anything you need us to."

"Not in this country you are. Well…not without help, Corporal Sullivan." The Colonel said as the members that he was talking about had finally walked in.

It was like time froze as the MARSOC Marines watched three Japanese soldiers walk into the room and stood at parade rest right in front of them, mirroring them. The one who stood out the most was the tan purple haired woman, since she was the only woman in the room as well. James figured if these were people that were going in this operation, that woman would be accompanying them too. This was a big thing since women aren't even allowed in combat arms in the United States Armed Forces; don't even get the government started with women in Special Forces billets. So this was taboo, but a nice taboo, because the tan woman was actually beautiful.

Beckett observed the only woman as the group as she stood there wearing the same black fatigues as they are. Sporting a Kevlar vest and ballistic clear sunglasses she stood there staring down the Marines, it was as if she was analyzing every little detail about them, just like the Marines are doing. The other members of that stood at parade rest beside her were just as interesting. The one who stood at the right hand of the purple haired woman had a white baseball cap on and a scar on his left eye. The one who stood on the woman's left hand had long hair that was tied in samurai styled ponytail, back in any military hair like that would be definitely out of the question. Unless you were Special Forces, for example, Army Green Berets usually rocked long beards and untamed hair that they were allowed to grow so they can blend in easier with the Middle Eastern people. They just called SF 'the men with beards' at times.

Could these guys be Japanese Special Forces? Must be if they were going to work with them. The Marines questions were answered as the Colonel kicked himself off of the wall and got between the two teams.

"Gentlemen, you are now in the presence of the SAT. Japan's Special Assault Team will be working hand-in-hand with us. For the next four days, you will live, train, eat, and work together. America and Japan agreed to this joint operation and was so willing to lend us their Operator's as a liaison. Now," He paused as he used his hand as an indicator to who he refers to as.

"This is Assistant Inspector Nagato Yagami, he is the Team Captain of Special Forces Company." Nagato bowed his head for the Marines out of formality, upon raising himself back up he had a look of disgust as he stared at them. Drizzy caught onto this and narrowed his eyes and returned the same look right back.

"Next, is Sergeant Itachi Tajima." Tajima also bowed down to the Marines, except that when he rose up he didn't had a look of disgust but a smile on his features.

"And last but certainly not least, is the lovely Sergeant Rika Minami. Don't underestimate her now, she ranks 1st in the top 5 shooting competition in Japan. So handle with care or you might wind up without a head." She bowed down and raised her head with a smirk on those lips of hers, something Beckett finding very attractive. A rose with thorns, in Beckett's mind she was perfect. James could see this from the corner of his eye but he decided to ignore it and let Beckett be Beckett.

"Heh, looks like you got competition Arch." James muttered to Archer who smirked in response. The Colonel grinned and pointed at all the Marines in the room.

"Not just LCpl. Suarez you have competition with. Any Marine who was Force Recon before joining MARSOC is competition, not only every Marine is a rifleman, but if a recruit wishes to become Recon as a job rather than just Infantry. You have to shoot expert in the rifle range and must complete other tasks, and in boot camp 500 yards is the farthest you shoot. And that's just boot camp, imagine once they get farther in their career. But our Marine, LCpl. Suarez here…he's Bravo Company's sniper. So yes, we do have a little rivalry I'm cooking up." He laughed with the other Japanese Operators looking at him, the Colonel brushed it off. "Just food for thought though." He said while turning to his Marines and pumped his fist. "Go America…you better represent our Corps if you do go against her in friendly competition." He mouthed the words to his Marines, more so focusing on Archer, who silently nodded.

The Colonel after this cleared his throat, "Well, it's about time for me to head out. I have to meet with their XO right about now." He looked at his watch and back at everyone in the room. "Be sure to be in the briefing room tomorrow at 0900hrs. That means all of you. Now if you choose to stay in the barracks, lights out is at 2200hrs. Miller, Harrington, and Mayweather I need you to come with me so we can discuss things for tomorrow. We'll leave our two banged up NCO's to watch over things." The three Marines nodded and walked beside the officer.

Beckett and James looked at each other for a second and smiled at each other, being able to be left alone to not only lick their wounds but be able to converse with the new Japanese troops. But for some reason, the two Corporals can tell that the tension in the room was so thin you can cut it with a butter knife. James eyed the way Drizzy looked at Yagami, it was a look of pure hatred. The way Archer looked at Rika, it wasn't anything of hostility but more so of a challenge, and the feeling was mutual.

"So I'll leave you guys to…get to know each other. Now play nice, Devil Dogs. Oorah?"

"Oorah!" The Marines roared as the Colonel and company left the room and shutting it behind them, leaving the troops all by themselves.

There was a brief silence in the room as the two factions stared at each other, reading each other; it was surreal and ironic at the same time. James didn't know if he was the only one who thought about this. But their Marine ancestors fought their Japanese ancestors back in the Pacific Campaign in WWII, and now Marines and Japanese troops were working together. Oh how the world has changed, James thought as he looked at them. He clapped his hands and was about to say something to break the awkward silence, till he watched Rika and Tajima talk amongst each other in Japanese.

"_So what do you think about these guys, eh Tajima-san?" _asked Rika in her native tongue, Tajima whispered back in Japanese. He did notice that James was looking at them funny, as if he was reading their lips and trying to understand them. As if he also somewhat knew what they were saying.

"_Ehh, I don't know. They look pretty dependable, although you can tell how awkward this looks right? Nobody saying a single word…" _Tajima paused and took a look at their Team Captain who was in a glaring duel between the Marine known as Archer. _"And Yagami-sama is not liking this one bit…"_

Right before Rika was going to respond back, Archer's voice boomed throughout the Japanese operators.

"Hey, hey, hey now! If we're gonna be workin' together…you can't be talkin' all that good shit. We gotta be able to understand each other and communicate y'know?" Said Archer who approached them and sat down on the table, staring them down as they just watched him, their features was as cold as ice. The two said nothing in return to the American.

Archer didn't like this one bit, "Are you serious? Tch, you see this bullshit guys?" He said jabbing his thumb at them and looking over his shoulders at his fellow Marines. "They think they're better than us just because they're Chinese on some real shit! They are forgetting who won World War II eh? Fuckin' gooks…"

"They are Japanese, Archer. Not Chinese." Beckett said whilst rubbing his temples and shaking his head at the racism that was just expected from his fellow Marine. It was bound to happen from either side.

"I know they're fuckin' Japs! I just wanted to call 'em Chinese. I've been dying to call them gooks and shit since they walked in."

Beckett narrowed his eyes and planted his face into his palm, sighing heavily. "Wow dude, really? You're so racist. And I'm from the fucking south and I'm not as racist as you are. Do you see how that looks?"

"Yeah really, can you chill out with that shit?" James said taking Beckett's side as he reached into the mini fridge and grabbed two packs of ice, one for Beckett and one for himself. "Yo, Johnny boy!" He said as he tossed him one which Beckett caught and planted it on his cheek while James put his on his forehead.

Archer rolled his eyes and got up from the table, shrugging his shoulders he'd cross his arms while grilling the Team Captain of SAT, who in return gave the same look to him. "I'm just being honest, fuck me man…shit."

"Well I think we should introduce ourselves to them!" Drizzy said as he walked up to them, Archer laughed and shook his head.

"Carful Drizzy, they look like intellectuals to me!"

It was Drizzy's turn to laugh now as he jabbed his finger at him, "Says the Marine who called them Chinese just a couple of seconds ago."

The response from that was just priceless; Archer was grinding his teeth while the other Devil Dogs were laughing at his expense. Drizzy have a responsibility to project a friendly attitude since he's not only the boot of Bravo Company, but one of the only black people in this unit, compared to the only other minority would be Archer's Spanish self. But with that act he did, he didn't do a good job representing his Latin brethren. Drizzy approached the three and got a good look at them from head to toe, especially Rika.

"Ah, shut up and go back to Young Money! I think Lil Wayne is waitin' for ya!" Archer said in protest as he walked over to the nearest seat and dropped himself right down and watched as he attempted to make peace.

James shook his head and jabbed Beckett in the shoulder to get his attention. "I don't like the looks of this. I have a feeling that Drizzy is gonna do something stupid." Beckett nodded in agreement and watched on.

"Hello Allies, my name is Private First Class Taylor and I'd like to say welcome to Camp Butler! Do you understand what I am saying?" He was talking to them as if they were retarded. Using emphasis and slowing down his speech to match it too. All three Japanese operators must have felt the retardation spewing out of his mouth; they looked at him as if he was stupid then looked at each other. Suddenly the mood changed and James noticed this quickly as he saw Rika step up and clasped her hands together and bowed down to him.

"Thank you Mistah Taylor, you the big shot around here?" Rika said in the most broken down stereotypical Japanese accent ever, Archer laughed so hard he fell out of his seat while Sullivan slammed his palm into his face. James couldn't believe that Drizzy was buying this and being turned on by this too. Drizzy nodded and got closer to her with the biggest smirk on his face.

"Oh yeah baby, I am. Don't mind these clowns, they don't know shit. You know…maybe we can come back to my barracks dorm room and get to know each other a little bit better." Rika opened her mouth gasping loudly.

"Oh my…you want fucky fucky?" Drizzy nodded. "Me so horny, me so horny. Me love you long time! I the best fucky you evar will have. I will give you ev'ryting!"

Drizzy gently grabbed her arms and looked down into those eyes of hers. "Everything?"

"Ev'ryting…you want sucky sucky too?"

"Oh hell yeah…"

"You not too beaucoup right?" She said as she held her hands up to compare how big a penis should be, Drizzy shook his head and licked his lips.

"Nah baby, I got a natural 10 inch New York black cock for you baby. I'm sure it ain't too beaucoup for you…"

Still facepalmed, James would shake his head. "Please dude, for godsake please don't represent New York. For me Drizzy? Please? Ughhhh…" He said since he's from New York too, he doesn't want them to think that only blockheaded idiots like him come from New York.

Rika nodded and licked her lips, "Okay me love you long time den! Can you do me one beau favor?"

Drizzy nodded and with that, Rika leaned up to his ear and whispered to him, but in an audible tune where everyone else can hear her too. On the drop of a coin, to Drizzy's surprise her accent had changed radically into a more civilized manner lacking any relation to having an orient background, as well as her vocabulary.

"Can you take that 10 inch cock of yours and stick it in your ass for me? Also, if you want to keep those fingers I suggest you take your hands off of me." She said in a dark tone as she tapped on Drizzy's hands and stared down into his eyes. James and Beckett laughed at Drizzy in the background, and Archer was just in shock.

"Tch, alright…I deserved that." He said in surrender as he put his hands up in surrender and backed up from her. Her glare stayed on the Drake look alike as Nagato decided to step in.

"And no, we don't think we're better then you. We _know _we're better then you. Not only we're a little bit more tolerable with race then your significant other…we also speak English, fluently. You can go ask your FBI HRT counterparts. We train with them at least twice a year; wouldn't you think we should have perfected our English for many different reasons? It is a universal language, you ignorant fuckers…" Nagato lifted his finger up and directed it towards Archer and narrowed his eyes. "Especially you…"

Tajima sighed and took his hat off for a second to ruffle his hair and place it back on the top of his head. "Phew, man…ain't this a horrible first impression eh?" he directed that statement towards James since the two practically stayed out of the trouble, James nodded and shrugged.

"What can you do, Itachi? You think we're bad with you guys? You should see how we treat the Army and the Air Force! Brothers or not…ugh…and don't get me started on the Navy. Our own queer ass cab drivers." That earned a laugh out of the Japanese male as he put his hand out.

"By the way, just call me Tajima. I always did like my last name better for some reason, don't ask me why." James nodded and shook his hand, the spark of friendship and camaraderie drew in Rika and Beckett from the arguing crowd of testosterone filled troops.

"Alright then, in that case it's just Sullivan. I like my first name though. Just don't call me Sully, I'll have to cut ya if you do!" Both men engaged in a hearty laughter, Rika clapped her hands and sighed.

"Alright then, Sullivan-san. Sounds good!" James shook his head and pointed at her.

"Nah, you can call me James. Sounds better coming from a woman, only this guy right here and women can call me that." James said pointing to Beckett who waved in acknowledgement. Rika put her hand on her chest and shook her head.

"Haha, whatever you say James-san."

"Oh and by the way, James and I heard what you were guys were saying earlier." Beckett said as he crossed his arms and smiled over at her. Rika tilted her head and tapped her chin.

"You speak Japanese?"

"Hai hai, ma'am…" He said with a wink. James chuckled and watched Beckett, he didn't want to interfere. He obviously had the hard on for her so he didn't want to cockblock his boy. Rika took this as a challenged and smirked.

"Alright, _You aren't half-bad, perhaps maybe we can get to know each other better some other time, Marine._" She said in the cutest way possible with a slight hint of yearning in her voice and a wink, that caught Beckett off guard since he was bullshitting her. It was really James and the Lt who knew Japanese, he just knew enough to get by.

"Yeah…I had no idea what you just said but it sure as hell sounded hot." Beckett said as he rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly, called out in his game and lost. Rika giggled and pushed a stray bang back.

"I figured as much."

Their little peaceful moment was interrupted as the argument between Archer and Nagato increased. Tensions were rising as the two now stood only inches away from each other.

"Uh-oh…" James whispered as he watched the bout from afar with Beckett and the two Japanese operators.

"You Americans are absolutely despicable! I think you and your idiotic simple-minded fools should just leave Japan! We don't need you ignorance around our honorable lands…you reek dishonor. I feel ashamed just by standing in your presence!" Nagato said as he looked the Marine in his eyes, Archer was stoic as he nodded and pointed at Nagato.

"You shouldn't be talking. Your people don't have that much of a clean slate either…I read how you fucking Tojo fucks would go to Okinawan villages to behead your own people for competition, just for fucking fun. You bastards try to hide your past shame with all your cutesy animes, manga, porn, food, and all that good shit. The ignorant masses fall for it…but nah…I see your true colors! So you go fuck yourself!" Archer yelled that as he closed in on Nagato, getting in his face to the point their noses are practically touching.

"Get out of my face you fucking soldier…stand the fuck down."

That crossed the line, even James and Beckett inwardly got mad at the Japanese Team Captain by calling them soldiers. They were Marines, not soldiers. But the difference between the two Marines and Archer and Drizzy, they don't voice their outrage out like this. Drizzy and Archer started to yell in the man's face, and start to push him, which Nagato responded by pushing them back.

"Call me a fucking dogfaced soldier huh? You fucking gook!" Archer yelled as he attempted to throw a punch towards Nagato's face, but Beckett grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. Nagato wanted to take advantage of this but Tajima also pulled back his Captain.

"Calm down! CALM THE FUCK DOWN!"

"That motherfucker!" Archer yelled while being in submission but Beckett shook him up and got his attention.

"Stand the fuck down, Lance Corporal! You wanna get NJP'd or even worse? By doing this you can fuck with our fucking relationship with the Japanese! Do you really want to do that? Whatever hate you got? Stow it, Marine. Stow it." He was right, Beckett was absolutely right. He had to use his rank to get to his head but his words as a fellow Marine and friend helped him calm down.

"He's right, with all due respect Yagami-sama…please calm down. Your honor will not be tainted by working with these guys. They are good guys…well at least some of them are. You have to believe that!" pleaded Tajima, Rika backed him up and stood next to Beckett as he held Archer.

"He's right sir; you should know Tajima-san's good judgment? When has he ever been wrong about anything? So can you please consider this, Yagami-sama?" She said as she clasped her hands and looked into Nagato's eyes. With one heavy breath of air, he slipped out of Tajima's grip and fixed his fatigues and vest. At that signal, Beckett let go of Archer who did the same thing.

Archer sucked his teeth as he offered his hand forward as a sign of truce, a silent truce. They both knew what the handshake meant, so without any words exchanged they shook hands and looked away from each other. Everyone else felt their hearts finally calmed down as an international incident was avoided. Rika decided to take advantage of this.

"Alright! Well I just got an idea. Your XO told us to get to know each other right? Well we got off on the wrong foot obviously. Instead of staying in these barracks, how about we head to my place? I'm in the Tokonosu area. It's not that far away by car and it's only 1730. If we leave now, we can get there and still have enough time to enjoy a good night and catch some Z's for tomorrow. So who's up for it?" James and Beckett both perked up to the sound of this. Sure they didn't mind the barracks since any Marine barracks was their home away from home, but to actually be able to go to her house and relax away from regulations? Sounds like heaven!

"That sounds awesome, trust me guys!" Tajima said as he jabbed his thumb at Rika. "She's an excellent cook! She cooks just like she shoots, fucking always on point!"

Rika rolled her eyes and pushed the frames of her ballistic clear glasses up. "Please, stop kissing my ass already."

"I would love to kiss your ass, but you won't let me!" He said as he crossed his arms over his chest and laugh to himself, Nagato would plant his hand on Tajima's shoulder and sigh.

"After an afternoon like this? I think I need a drink. An evening at Rika's would be a great idea."

"Then it's settled!" Beckett said with a nod of his head, but James was confused.

"Wait a minute; I thought we have to stay here?"

"Tch, you didn't listen to the Colonel? We said if we choose…so yeah! That's more than enough proof to me that he wants us to have a good time! So let's have a good time!" Rika said as she walked towards the door with her SAT operators following behind, she noticed that they didn't follow along.

"Aren't you coming?"

"We gotta change first. Marine Corps regulations say we can't walk outside with our cammies on. We gotta put civis, so give us a sec to pick up some shit alright?" James concluded as he planted his pack of ice on his lip now and walked towards the door with the rest of the Marines following behind. Rika looked at Archer and Drizzy following behind.

"I hope you know…I'm only allowing you two in my home because I can tell that I'll get into an argument with the only two cool Marines I ever met. I'd like to avoid that…so do me a favor and keep your heads down in my place. Alright?"

They nodded and kept to themselves as the last one who was out closed the door to the recreation room. Only God knows what will happen later on tonight, and they have four days together too.

_x—Devil May Cry._


	2. Chapter 2: Throw it up, gents

**Author's note:** _Hey what's up guys! I've been so busy with college, the Corps's duties, Thanksgiving weekend, that these two fics has been put on the back-burner. I apologize but hey, a Marine is no good during these weekends unless he's stuffing his face with turkey, binge drinking, and or clubbing! So yeah, now that I got all of that out of my system I can return to what I do best besides shooting. Giving you guys quality work out of my imagination! So enjoy!_

_Update: I didn't really know that much about the Japanese SFG (They used to be called SOG during their time in Iraq), I did more research on them after I read that review. You are right though, but I did a more fitting approach since military for joint ops do work with other countries Special Forces. But when it comes to a drug bust or something like this, a special paramilitary like SAT would be fit for this. Plus I wanted to use Rika and Tajima for this so they can be connected to James and Beckett in a way for HOTD: Semper Fidelis. So I had to use SAT, plus Shusake used SAT hence why they can't find a file on him since SAT operators upon entry get all of their info deleted. Similar process a British SAS operator does upon joining the Special Forces. _

_Also, CHESTY PULLER ROCKS! Lmao, he's like a god in the Corps. Look him up and you'll see why. Also scuttlebutt in Marine Corps lingo is gossip or rumors, shit like that._

_Update: I wanted to leave this off in a fluff BeckettxRika type. Because I want to set up some more important things for this plot to kick off._

**Chapter II: Throw it up, gents**

"C'mon! Are you serious?" Rika asked the country boy Marine everyone referred to his surname as Beckett. Beckett in response laughed at Rika and Tajima's reaction to the story he told about their new Sergeant Major John Sixta who came to MARSOC not too long ago from his stint in Recon. Sixta was one of those Marine SNCO's who go hard for regulations, especially grooming standards. So he is very much unliked in the Special Operations Community, especially Recon who had to deal with him during their tours in Iraq. Beckett got in front of the large group of civilian dressed Special ops troops of different races and did his best impression of SgtMaj. Sixta.

He put his hands on the front of his waist and puffed his chest out and raised his chin up high, the Marine represented a rooster in this pose. Just from the exaggerated pose, Rika was laughing up a storm.

"Devil Dog! Why the fuck is yer shirt out of regulations!" Beckett hollered out in the best stereotypical Marine Corps country accent he could do, which was rather different in the Alabama drawl he's used to.

James quickly picked up on this and went in front of Archer who watched on and covered his mouth from laughing, so James now represented their good friend Gunnery Sergeant Brad "Iceman" Colbert who at the time was a Sergeant. "Sergeant Major, is there a problem? My Marines have been working on that humvee all day."

Beckett sighed and shook his head and then whirled his head around like a pigeon. "I don't care if your Marines had a sucking chest wound. HE WILL NOT GO PARADING AROUND THE DECK WITH HIS SHIRT TAIL ALL HUNG OUT LOOSE! Your Marine is in direct violation of Godfather's grooming standards!" The way Beckett said this had even earned a tiny almost whispered chuckle from the silent Nagato Yagami as they all watched on. "And of course, our boy Iceman makes Ray tucks his shirt and then the Sergeant Major turns around and does some shit like this."

Beckett got back in character and licks his lips. "Ya'll startin' to look like elvises!" he yelled out then starts to stomp his way to the back of the group, with the Japanese and Marines laughing out loud from his performance.

The troops at this time of Beckett's performance were all in civis and now were walking down the streets of Okinawa. It's now a quarter to six and they've been walking the entire time, they were going to catch a bus that apparently takes them straight to the Tokonosu district, the area where Rika Minami of Japanese SAT lives. The Marines wore form fitting clothes since that seems to be the style these days, with James and Beckett wearing denim jeans with Abercrombie & Fitch muscle shirts. Except Beckett to be different from his friend would be wearing a button down shirt opened up whereas James just wore a t-shirt. The other two Marines like Drizzy and Archer just wore polo shirts and jeans.

"Wow, perfect example of how idiotic Americans can be with attention to detail. I mean yeah…" Tajima shrugged as he fixed his cap and crossed his arms over his chest. "Attention to detail is important, but that's too much! I mean come on! Grooming standards?"

"Tell me about it! Ugh, fuck Sixta. I'd say that in his face…but I don't like NJP's. They make me queasy." Beckett said as he held his stomach and sticks his tongue out. James calmed down from all the laughing and looked over at Beckett who walked next to Rika.

"You and me both, dude. I remember back in 1st Force Recon Company, when I was a Lance Corporal fucking 1stSgt. Nickels almost NJP'd me for my low reg I had at the time. I told him I wanted to be like Chesty Puller." Beckett laughed in response and slapped his thigh, rubbing his eye from a stray tear he'd look up at James.

"No way! You said that? Shit, if I said that to Nickels, he'd unscrew my head and shit down my neck!"

"I know! But on another note, being a Lance Cooliee fucking rocked! Shit, the things you can do and get in trouble for? It's like everyday you don't know what could happen. Like...you'll never know if you'll make Corporal or be stuck as a Terminal Lance, never picking up rank and shit." James noted, Beckett nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hell yeah, I miss being an Echo Three!" He said as he threw up his Lance Corporal handsign in the air which represented his two index fingers being chevrons and his two middle fingers as cross rifles. "Throw it up, gents!"

James and Archer threw up their Lance Corporal handsigns up but Archer glared at James after their little Lance Coolie appreciation. "Hey! That's not funny you know? I'm still waitin' to pick up Corporal you know!" Archer said since he actually still is a Lance Corporal, hoping that he gets his cutting score up so he can finally be an NCO already.

"Bah, you'll make it Arch. But shit...wow, I got off topic so bad. But yeah, fucking First Sergeant laughs and said it was the best answer he ever gotten for having a low reg. Thus, I rocked that haircut proudly. My fucking haircut was like having spinners. I think Drizzy can take this one. Remember that Chris Rock shit we watched last time in fuckin' 29 Palms?" James said while clapping his hands, for Drizzy to come to the front of the group and continue the joke. Rika was confused for a second as they talked amongst each other.

"Wait what?" She said. Tajima caught onto what they were talking about and tapped her shoulder.

"They're talking about Chris Rock, you know the American comedian? Since Drizzy is the only black guys, I'm assuming he gotta do it. It sounds pretty racist but they love each other too much to hate each oth-! Oh he's gonna do it!" He interrupted himself by pointing at Drizzy who started talking.

"We don't give a fuck! Black people love rims; we will put shinny ass rims on any piece of shit car in the world. A brother will put rims on a toaster if you let 'em!" the Private First Class now continued in a deep thug like voice and pointed at the bus on the opposite side of the street. "Yo nigga, I got 'em razor toaster on 22's nigga, 22's! Look at 'em, motherfucker! Look at 'em! AND THEY SPINNIN' NIGGA, THEY SPINNIN'! THEY SPINNIN' NIGGA, THEY SPINNIN'! THEY SPINNIN' NIGGA, THEY SPINNIN'!"

With that every, except Nagato hollered in laughter as Drizzy spun his head around with a huge smile on his face. "And then like, if you're going to take out money from the ATM a psychologist's face pops up on the screen and he's like. 'Yo man, save your money man. Don't buy drugs, BUY SOME RIMS! It's 'cause they spinnin' nigga, they spinnin'. THEY SPINNIN' NIGGA, THEY SPINNIN'!"

Rika walked to the front of the group and covered her tan features since they were as red as a tomato from all the laughing. Spotting the bus stop, she leaned herself against the sign for the bus and took a deep breath.

"You guys are a fucking riot. But yeah, the bus stop is here. It shouldn't take no more than five minutes or so to get here." She said looking at her watch and back at the sign and its details. Tajima and Nagato joined her and stood beside her.

Archer stepped up in front of the group of civilian dressed Marines who stood across from them as they all now crowded around the bus stop and he bobbed his head towards the sign. "So how long is the ride to Minami's house?" he asked, all three Japanese operators looked at him then at Nagato. Nagato eyes veered to his watch and he looked back at him.

"We should get us there in fifteen minutes. It's a pretty short bus ride; it'll drop us off two blocks away from her place."

Archer nodded and swung his arms around Drizzy and James walking them a couple of feet away from the Japanese operators, Beckett followed suit and leaned in to hear what they were talking about. "Alright good job with redeeming yourself back there with the Chris Rock impersonation, Drizzy. You got everyone laughing when you did that spinnin' shit. You even got me."

The Drake look-a-like shrugged his shoulders and swung his arm around Beckett so they could all be together, "Thanks Arch, but hey I tried to get that Yagami guy to join in but it looks like he don't like Chris Rock humor."

"Don't' sweat it, PFC. He doesn't count. That guy is hard. Solid as a rock! But you got back on Rika's good side." James whispered as he remembered his failed flirting skills and Rika's Full Metal Jacket Da Nang hooker impersonation to counter-act him, the mood was mutual as they all remembered it. Archer shook his head and bobbed his head towards Drizzy.

"Yeah! What was all that about? I mean really dude…how could have you fallen for that? It was so obvious she was fucking with you. The second she had that sexy grin when she rose up from bowing at us…I knew she was nothin' but trouble. How could you not see it?" Archer said as he slapped Drizzy in the back of the head, Drizzy bit his lip and smacked him right back.

"Fuck you! You shouldn't be talkin', you and your racist ass calling them gooks and shit!"

"Hey! You all know I'm not really racist! I just call it like I see it, and they started it!"

"How the fuck did they start it?"

Sullivan decided enough was enough; he demonstrated order by slapping them both upside their heads. "That's enough! Can we start thinking like a team again?"

Drizzy sighed and fixed his grip holding onto Beckett and Archer. "Aye aye, Corporal."

"No need to call me by rank right now, we're out of garrison so it's just Sullivan. But yeah, good work though Drizzy. Now we only got two more people we need on their good sides, we don't need an international incident." They all nodded to James's little game plan and waited for him to continue. "Alright, now Arch. You're in deep shit; you had to get on the bad side on someone who's hard to please. You're smart so you gotta talk to him on some shit you two can relate to. I know by the end of this night…one of us are going to do something stupid that everyone else is going to love besides Yagami. That'll be your chance, Oorah?"

Archer nodded. "Oorah…"

"Now all that's left is our country boy. Johnny Beckett!" James said ruffling Beckett's blond locks, everyone else besides the confused country boy all cheered him on with their hollering of 'hell yeah' and 'oo-fuckin'-rah's.' while he stood there all dumbfounded.

As they all crowded around there cheering themselves on, the three or rather just Tajima and Rika just watched them. Nagato didn't have time for that and he kept himself busy by checking updates on his cellphone. _"What do you think they're talking about, Tajima-san?" _She asked him in their native tongue, Tajima shook his head and took his cap off to ruffle his own hair.

"_No clue, but I can tell it's something that I probably don't want to know. By the way…you still have anymore Sake?" _Tajima asked switching the topic; Rika looked up at him and smirked.

"_Plenty."_

Beckett broke up the little cheer fest that was going down, "What the hell are you guys talkin' about? Talkin' about all that's left and shit."

"Shit it's so obvious brah, I fucked up. There's no way I'll be able to tap that fine ass." Drizzy said nodding along with a smirk, the other two Marines followed suit giving him that look. Beckett's cheeks lit up as hot as a 40 mike-mike and he shook his head denying all of it as if he was in High School again.

"I got no idea what you guys are talkin' about! This shit is all scuttlebutt. I just met Rika!" Beckett said quickly defending himself, but James leaned forward and stuck his tongue at him.

"We never said Rika. So basically scuttlebutt says that you got the hard on for her. The most I can do is be your wingman if you need to go over there, I can take care of Tajima and Yagami myself." James said with a sincere smile.

Beckett hasn't had a girl for three months now since his last girlfriend left him for a Jody back in Alabama; sad thing is that the Jody was one of his best friends from High School. Jody took his girl and any hope of finding a good girl back at home. Not that any of this affected his job performance or anything, but his love life sucked and just resorted to one night stands and meaningless flings whenever the Marines and the country boy goes to the clubs and bars. James always thought he needed a girl who can understand what any service member goes through, whether it is a fellow military personnel and or a civilian. And what better way to find one in Japan, who is just as skilled in weaponry as the average Marine grunt. Perhaps even better than the average grunt, it's what best friends are for.

"Nah Sully! You don't gotta do that man."

"C'mon, playa playa! Just spit that G, mah dude. Bag 'em with the Marine Corps charm nigga." Drizzy said in that New York hood swag, only James understood what he said without being from the hood.

Beckett stared at him blankly not knowing what to make of this situation. "Uhhh….what?"

Both James and Drizzy stared at him and then pushed him out of their little circle simultaneously. "Just go over there!" They both said, Beckett felt exposed like a deer in the headlights as he got pushed out. It was High School all over again, clearing his throat he remembered he wasn't in High School anymore and he remembered just how much of a confident Marine he is. Rubbing the back of his head he waved over for James to come over to him.

Smirking at seeing how the Beckett he knew came back, he happily walked along side his best friend and the two approached the group of Japanese SAT. And right before they could say anything, the bus had finally come. Rika turned around and smiled.

"It's here, come on!" She said as she was the first one to get on, put in the amount of yen needed as bus fare. The other Japanese followed suit while the Marines all flashed their military ID which allowed them entrance for free. Tajima and Nagato sat together on the front of the bus in a two-seater, while Rika sat down on the window seat of the right side of the bus on a two-seater by herself. The Marines now standing in the front of the bus stared all around them now thinking what to do. As they contemplated their next move, the bus started its route and began moving. James putting his fingers behind him where everyone else could see but the Japanese started issuing handsigns for everyone to follow suit. With this order, Drizzy and Archer sat in the two-seater in front of Tajima and Nagato. James didn't have to give Beckett a handsign order to go sit next to Rika as he ignored Beckett and go sit in the back of the bus towards the window so he can observe everything. The only one left was Beckett.

"Alrighty then," He whispered to himself as he walked down the aisle and sat next to Rika, she looked over at him and smiled. "You had to steal the window seat from right under my nose didn't ya!" Beckett said with a little chuckle, it must have worked since Rika giggled and pushed a bang away from the front of her face. _'Sure as hell beats an awkward ass hi.' _He thought as he watched her smile and sigh.

"If you weren't standing there like some kid on his first day of school not knowing where to sit, you'd be sitting here not me. So yeah, sucks to be you because…" She said whilst stretching and groaning, feeling the effects of an afternoon PT regimen that SAT ran before coming to Okinawa. Rika looked out the window and watched the nightsky lit up with numerous buildings and what not, she continued to rub it in his face. "It's such a nice night out tonight. Got myself a good view and everything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep rubbing it in, it ain't gonna last forever y'know! It's only a fifteen minute bus ride." He said waving his hand around and planted his chin against his knuckle and looked over at her, she counter-acted and tapped her chin.

"Is that so? I mean look at it this way, like I have fifteen minutes of a nice view. Especially when we go across the bridge, the view is so beautiful! But all you got to stare at for fifteen minutes are a bunch of guys are your nine 'o clock!" She leaned into his right side and stared up at him with a skeptical look. "Unless you are into that kind of thing. Did your Navy brethren mislead you and turn you a little fruity?"

Beckett pulled back and flailed his arms about. "What the fuck! Fuck outta here with that bullshit! I ain't gay; I love pussy too much for that shit."

Rika heaved a disappointed breath and frowned. "Aww, that's a shame. I always wanted a gay best friend."

"What makes you think that I was gay?" He said now a little annoyed.

"I don't know? The way you walk perhaps?"

"The way I walk?" Beckett looked around and watched James who was trying to stifle a laugh, he glared at him and the Marine replied in putting his arms up in mock surrender he'd smile. Rika couldn't help it anymore, she just burst into laughter. Crashing herself on Beckett's shoulder she'd muffle herself from being so loud. Beckett looked down at her and raises his brow with a tiny smile on his face; he knows now what was going on.

"I'm just fucking with you, dude. But it would have been funny though, like…I can call you Becky and stuff! We can give each other pedicures and stuff!"

Beckett laughed along but he shook his head. "Thanks but no thanks. And a little birdy tells me that you look like the kind of girl who wouldn't be into that girly shit in the first place anyways."

Rika took her head off his shoulder and crossed her arms under her breasts and smirked. "Wow, you aren't the first person who said that. I gotta meet this bird."

"So you aren't? What are you a tomboy or something?" He asked, actually interested in what kind person she is like. Rika twirled her bang around her fingers and shrugged,

"If you want to say that sure, but I manage to keep all my female antics. I love shopping and shoe store browsing as much as the next girl. But I can't resist taking an afternoon off to clean my weapons and watch a good action movie at the same time. Hell maybe some UFC and some video games on the side? You can blame Tajima for getting me into games, but the girly side of me. I have my ditz friend Shizuka to thank for that."

Beckett was blown away but at the same time, he maintained a cool persona. She was a perfect girl for him. He don't have the sugarcoat anything around her and don't have to hide his guy antics. Was this benefit of dating someone who was in the military? Maybe that's why James winded up going out with Lance Corporal Mina Choi a little bit before joining the Corps and a little bit during their first years of enlistment. James and Mina were inseparable, maybe because that Korean girl was exactly like that? Or was it because they were best friends back in High School. He didn't know but the main point is that girls like this are pretty damn rare, plus she's better than Mina because she's a fucking SWAT material sitting right next to him. She's probably killed before so that's another thing about her that he don't have to sugarcoat, someone who can really know how he feels when he comes from an operation.

"Wow, that's pretty fuckin' cool, girls like that don't come around too often y'know? Especially if you're a hotshot in the fuckin' SAT. How'd you get into the SAT in the first place?"

"Well unlike America, here in Japan aren't that hard on women in combat roles. I always have been a crackshot since I was a kid. I boned up a lot on stuff like that and even joined the Self-Defense Force when I was 18. Stayed in for six years, did some time in Iraq too. Heh, it got me out of the country so I can't complain." She said in a nonchalant attitude as she shrugged it off and looked out the window, Beckett on the other hand was put back since Japan's military wasn't really too active in things since they are a peacetime military these days ever since World War II was over. He knows that Japan did deploy to Iraq for a little bit for peacekeeping acts and rebuilding the country with NATO, but of all people to be a Japanese veteran of the Iraq war, she was sitting right next to him, Sergeant Rika Minami.

"No way, you've been to the sandbox!" He said in a shocked manner as he leaned in even more intrigued by this woman.

She looked over at him with her brow raised as if it was strange that he was shocked by it. "Yeah, haven't you? The Marine Corps was pretty big in Iraq, especially during the time when I was there. You know, like Nasiriyah, Basra, and of course…" She didn't want to say the last one; Beckett filled in the blanks for her and said it instead.

"Fallujah..." The words recalling that major battle in Marine Corps history being so big, every Marine knows about Fallujah. "But no, I was never in Iraq. I joined up around the time our President was pushing a troop surge in Afghanistan. I was finishing up High School while Fallujah was going on, but I did do the battle of Fallujah course during the Crucible in boot camp! Haha…man that is so boot of me, Bringing up boot camp and shit. But yeah, I went to Iraq. How was it over there? Oh! Let me guess, hot and miserable?"

Rika shook her head and planted her hand on the glass, faintly remembering her time in Iraq. "I was in Samawah, Southern Iraq. I was with 1st SOG Company; we were tasked with doing bodyguard detail while the Reconstruction and Support Group did their humanitarian efforts."

"SOG? You mean like Studies and Observation Group? Just like in 'Nam?" Beckett asked, not really having that much of knowledge with Japan's peacetime military. The only thing he knew about the Japanese military was back when they were an 'Imperial military' during World War II. Rika looked at him for a second before turning her head back to the view.

"No. SOG stood for the Special Operations Group, when I left they changed their name to Special Forces Group…SFG I think?"

Rika just started to look more of a femme fatale in his eyes, first this woman is already an SAT operator, now she's a former spec op? Well at least it made sense that she found her spot in the SAT so easily. Looks like he can relate more to her than he thought. He said nothing and wanted her to continue.

"But anyways, yeah. The SOG did their patrols around keeping a tight eye on the rebuilding effort. I hated that our military even in war was still peacetime; it was so bullshit that we had to maintain a 'self-defense force' mentality even if we were in Iraq. We were in their turf and we couldn't do shit, unless they directly did it to us. I mean…shit; they were lobbing mortars and rockets at us! And we couldn't go after them. Our fucking ROE stated that like we can only fight back if they try to ambush us and kill our forces by breaching our perimeter, like literally breach it with like guys and shit. Fucking bullshit…I swear."

Beckett and practically every man in this bus could relate to how much bullshit rules of engagement can be. It's almost like fighting with your hand tied behind your back. "Shit, with those ROE how the fuck could you guys accomplish anything? Man that fucking sucks. Did you ever get to see any combat in Iraq?"

She chuckled and sighed remembering the times she and her unit actually got tossed in the shit. "Oh yeah…we did. A couple of our aid workers and journalists were kidnapped by those fucking Al-Qaeda Haji fucks. They finally gave us permission to go to Baghdad and get them after negotiations failed; those Hajis really wanted us out of Japan. They weren't letting up so they allowed 1st SOG to do a raid with 1st Airborne. It's one of the few times I got taken out of my sniping element and joined the fight on the ground; we breached and cleared that fucking building knocking down those bustards left and right." Rika rubbed her forehead remembering when she had her close encounter with the enemy who nearly took her life. "While we were sweeping the area, I kicked down this door and went in…Type 89 downrange and everything. I didn't check my corners and this Chechen tackled me down to the ground and tried to cut my throat open. Once my balaclava got a little fucked up and he found out I was a woman, he tried to take advantage of me, I mean shit…not that many besides the other SOG knew I was a woman since we always have to wear balaclavas on duty, even in garrison. But…yeah, that was his mistake when he tried that shit. Once I found an opening, I disarmed the fucker and cut him up with his own little gay ass tomahawk. I still have the little hatchet piece of shit in my house." She said finishing her little remembrance of her near-death encounter with a grin, hiding the fact of nearly dying and getting raped did indeed scare the shit out of her. Especially since it was her first sight of combat.

Rika continued since Beckett just sat there silent and just listening. "Well…we did rescue them and SOG was sent on a little bit more ops that involved in protecting those guys a little bit better. I remember I had to snipe out this one guy who was taking shots at the Rebuilding and Support Group when they were rebuilding this school. Other than those two situations, the rest of my career that revolved around combat was when I left the SOG when we withdrew from Iraq and joined the SAT."

"That's pretty fucking crazy. I think I would have left the Marine Corps if they pulled some pussy ass shit like that, Oorah."

"I know! Oh wow…that reminds me. We ran into some American Army Rangers, who were in our turf, they stayed for a little bit helped out pulling bodyguard detail with us. We talked a little bit but there was this one Ranger who stood out, oh my god. Fucking Staff Sergeant Baker…" She closed her eyes and grinned remembering how masculine and how confident that soldier was. "Mmhmm, he can get me to say 'Ranger's lead the way' anytime…"

Beckett hearing this got a little heated; just the thought of a soldier grabbing her attention set him off a little bit. "Aww, come on! Are you serious? You're gonna tell me you'd be attracted to someone who says Oorah with a dick in their mouth?"

Rika covered her mouth and laughed at his jealousy, she didn't know if it was that Baker was a Ranger or that it was a man in general that had snagged her attention. But the little joke with the sayings made her day though. "Oorah with a dick in their mouth? OH! You're talking about that Hooah shit? Hahaha, alright I'll give you that one, Marine. Baker and his Ranger boys did lose a lot of cool points when they were throwing that little Hooah stuff around. I was just like…what?"

"Yeah it goes a little like this." Beckett paused when he pretended that a dick was in his mouth and he made his voice sounded muffled when he tried to say Oorah but it came out like Hooah. Rika laughed even harder at this and tapped his cheek.

"I'll make you feel better." She closed her eyes and rubbed her digits on his cheek; Beckett sat there and waits for her. "Mmm...Rangers got it and everything. But it never beats a Marine and his dress blues. Makes me want to drop my panties every single time."

Beckett just stared at her blankly with his cheeks lit up. "That's hot."

"Feel better?"

"Oorah…" He said in a low tone as his eyes veered from her to the bridge. She too took her eyes off of him and watched the bus cross the bridge. She wasn't lying about how beautiful the view is, they can see the lights from Okinawa contrast to the sleepy little town of Tokonosu. Only a couple buildings from Toko can compare to Oki's nightlife, the lights were reflected off of the waters and right back to the windows of the bus. They sat close to each other and just watched the sight with no interruptions. As the two sat, James continued to sit in the back and observe everything without saying a single thing.

He was proud of Beckett; he did well by himself now from here on in. He better not fuck up, or he might have to fuck him up instead. James admired how the two have so much in common and can only imagine what can become of this in the next four days they have together with MARSOC and SAT.

Those together almost reminded him of what he used to have with Mina Choi, that feisty Korean from Flushing. The girl who joined the Marine Corps with him because she was shocked of the kind of change it was making in him with him just being a poolee. She left her track team and her goals of going to Stony Brook pursuing a engineering major, to now pursue the title Marine. But she didn't do it alone; she did it with James Sullivan by her side. That cocky and enthusiastic Irish jock who she inwardly loved dearly. Before the Marines they dated for a little bit, but hit it off more exclusively once they were in the Corps. Reasons unknown, they just fell out of love. Didn't know why? She was the perfect girl for him, just like Beckett has found Rika. He couldn't help but feel jealous since it reminded him of what he used to have; the only thing he has is a meaningful brother and sister like relationship with Lance Corporal Choi and of course, his boy Johnny Beckett.

Putting away his jealousy and allowed himself to be happy for him he'd lean back against the chair and watch the bridge from his spot too. He needed this more than him, so he just had to let it go and do his job.

"Get some." He whispered as he closed his eyes and drifted off into a nap.

_x—Devil May Cry_


	3. Chapter 3: Deniable Ops

**Author's Note:**_I just had to bring in some violence, after that fluffy chapter with BeckettxRika. There had to be some manliness in this story! Haha, and also I wanted to introduce another character that will have a little bit of an impact in this story. Who knows, you might see him in Semper Fidelis as well. Just a little food for thought. Also, this is a prequel! It won't be just the Marines and SAT's involvement, the main villains, and etc's experiences before the outbreak. Hell even Takashi's life will be in here too! It's a neat idea I just came up! Check it out yourself and read this thingamajic! xDDD, enjoy!_

**Chapter III: "Deniable Ops"  
Agent Frank Hudson  
Special Activities Division/Special Operations Group (SAD/SOG)  
May 14, 2010  
Osaka, Japan**

The skies were getting darker as the sun starts to set; the land of the rising sun was beginning to settle down. Streets were beginning to clear up, the congested civilians kept to themselves as they walked down the streets of Osaka. But the more quieter areas of the city that lead to the suburban parts where instead of big buildings and bright lights were nice little homes and a couple of apartment buildings a couple of blocks down. But deeper than that was a little lumber yard disposal warehouse, deep in the boonies. In front of the warehouse was an Aston Martin DBS V12, a European model of a high performance sports car. The color of the car could be described as a graphite gray with a blue tint. The rims of the car shared the same qualities as well; it was just one magnificent looking car. The body inside of the car sitting at the driver's seat watching the warehouse from the outside was none other than Colonel Shusuke Tachibana of the Yukoku Doshikai.

He sat there with his cellphone in his ear and his eyes glued to the window. His black slacks were creased and his turtleneck sweater's sleeves were rolled all the way up to the top of his forearms. His trenchcoat and his sword lay in the middle of the convertible, covering the clutch of the car. Replacing such close-quarter weaponry and concealment was a black shoulder holster with a pistol lying in wait to be used. From what he was hearing on the phone, Shusuke was contemplating on using it on his men who were taking care of business. But he couldn't do that, since they did such a good job moving all of their materials out of that hideout to a new one, he couldn't kill them for no reason after doing such a good job. At least they were able to cover their own tracks to that extent, a new Ultranationalist regime isn't going to build or fund itself.

The Black Lotus needed to be completed. For the past couple of weeks after returning from his trip to Yemen and getting himself acquainted with the Taliban operative Farzad Sajadi and his other friends, he now had what he needed to act upon creating his own little sect. Before it was just a dream, having to live under the great Souichiro Tagaki's shadow and what not but now he can make that dream a reality. It was time to take action in making this become reality. Ever since he returned from Yemen, he gathered some Ultranationalists from the Yukoku Doshikai who were easy enough to sway and the hardcore ones who needed a little bit more persuasive measures of manipulation. Nothing too hard that the Consigliere couldn't handle.

Once he obtained the amount of men he needed, he began to dive into the world of organized crime in his own way. Far different then the ways the elder Tagaki would do so, he pushed all sorts of drugs into the underworld. He allowed the Black Lotus to intervene in some of the Yakuza's and other criminal organizations beef's as long as their identity remains anonymous, it wasn't time for that yet. It wasn't that Tachibana was worried about the police, no he could care less. He himself was covered thanks to his past with joining the police department's best of the best, the Special Assault Team. With his past in the SAT, his tracks can be covered since all records of this man even existing would be deleted and no one can search for him. Deciding he liked his life of crime better and had bigger things in life planned out, he quit the police force and went back to the Yukoku Doshikai.

But even so, they still couldn't afford to get caught now. If word gets out that there is a new group of kids on the block, it would be long till Tagaki connect the dots and find out it was Shusuke. Death is the punishment for treason, and it's not his time to die yet. Especially if he didn't even get his true plans into motion yet.

"What do you mean he knows?" Shusuke asked, his leather gloved hand grasping the phone in his hand tightly. Feeling his time would be already up. The voice on the other end whispered into the receiver with a tone of hatred in his voice.

"We have a rat. It was Hoshi…he ratted you out with your involvement in the Yakuza deal. Things began to heat up with him finding out when you've been selling our coke to the Yakuza for less and even jumping into their latest brawl. Hoshi even said that you told the Yakuza about us which is a outright lie, he tried to do that so he can save his own ass. I think he even told little tidbits about the meet in four days…"

"Once I get my hands on him, I'll skin him with a rusty scalpel…"

"No need for that one, sir. He already got whacked; they're cleaning his body up before Saya-sama gets home. She stayed at library with that Takashi kid late studying for some test or something. She's due to come home in thirty minutes." The informant said as he himself leaned against the end of the hallway, looking out to the corner of his eye see some of the men who are loyal to Souichiro roll up Hoshi's body in a carpet. He felt himself want to puke as he witnessed one of them carry around Hoshi's severed head slung over his shoulder. "I suggest you hurry back here and try to plead your case."

Shusuke cringed and sighed, "Got it. Stay sharp, Watari-san…" He hung up the phone and threw it on the passenger seat and took one last look at the warehouse.

That lumber yard housed his men that were finishing their task in moving all the remaining intelligence about their black market deal that's set for four days from now. Every terror head from the Middle East whether it is Al-Qaeda, Taliban, and some Palestinian cells who love to terrorize Israelis. Everybody is coming down to Japan to buy themselves a strange B.O.W. that is set to give off some devastating results, a perfect way to keep the tree of liberty fresh with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Patriots like any Western military and civilization and Tyrants like Souichiro Tagaki who deserve to die. It was about time to lead the world into a new path. But was his time up before he even gets a chance?

Shaking his head he inserted the keys into the ignition, letting the car purr into his ears. He then pushed all of his junk to the seat next to him so he can shift his gears and take off. Shusuke didn't get even four blocks away from the warehouse before his cellphone rang again. Stopping he'd pick up his phone and tap his fingers on the steering wheel.

"_Moshi moshi." _He answered but the holder of the other line wasn't someone he was expecting to hear from.

"Tachibana, they're onto us." It was Farzad Sajadi, the Taliban operative he works hand in hand with. "We need to talk, meet me by the lumber yard. I just saw you pull out a couple of seconds ago."

"First of all, I already know that my little _Uyoku dantai _is onto me. My informant just notified me that I've been ratted out and I'm next on the chopping block. Second of all, are you stalking me? How did you know that I just drove away?" He asked, trying to lighten the mood. It's not every day where you might get killed and you know who you're would be killer is.

"No. I'm not talking about your group. I'm talking about the CIA. I'll say this one more time. **They. Are. Onto. You.** We need to meet right now, there is a chance that we can still attend that black market meet and get business done but unless we find out what we can do about this."

Shusuke instead of freezing and becoming scared about not only his own group might kill him, or that the CIA was trying to catch and kill him. For some reason, he stopped being afraid. Indifference became a new trait now that filled his being, nodding he turned around and began driving back. "A couple of spooks huh? Be sure to tell me more when I get there."

"On second thought, meet me around the pier. It isn't too far away from the Lumber Yard so we can return there if the situation calls for it. I'll be there in five minutes." Sajadi said now hanging up and making his way to the pier and leaving Shusuke to the task of now heading to the area where he was supposed to meet up. Could he have been spotted while he was in Yemen? Yemen is a hotspot for terrorism, but that couldn't have been it. Plus, there is no record of a Shusuke Tachibana even existing. So how could they be truly onto him? He needed to know so what better way than to find out from the source.

Now that Sajadi was off of the phone, he had to warn his men to start packing up and leave the compound. He called up Lyoto who was in charge of moving products over there and heard him pick up, not even giving him a chance to talk. "Times up. Start getting ready to leave, meet up at the Tagaki compound ASAP." He said hanging up and shifting his stick shift to 3rd gear, he'd accelerate and hurry up to meet with that Jihadist.

* * *

"Haha! So we're sitting with each other naked, and she's on my lap. I tell her let's just skip the foreplay already!" All the other goonies laughed along to Lyoto's bullshit, they were toting pistols and one guy carrying a shotgun. They now had finished moving everything that they needed to cover their tracks with their connections to their future black market meet-up. Everything was all good till Lyoto got a call, he looked at the caller ID already knowing who it was. He snapped his fingers and had everyone move about to quicken their pace so they didn't look like they goofed off and they can do some last minute checkups before they leave.

"Times up. Start getting ready to leave, meet up at the Tagaki compound ASAP." Shusuke said before hanging up. Lyoto closed his phone and held it in his hands for a good minute wondering why Shusuke sounded a little off.

It was only a couple of seconds before he felt someone grab him from behind and pull his head back, the next thing he felt was the searing feeling of flesh being torn from his neck. A fountain of blood squirted from his neck before he fell to the floor dead. All the men in the Lumber Yard turned around to see a white male with sunglasses and the bloody murder weapon, a SOG knife. The man stood before them at black haired 6'3", donning a simple pair of black slacks and a white dress shirt with a black holster with a pair of .45s and three grenades resting there. That shirt was white till multiple splatters of Lyoto's blood now was all over it, his tie was loosened and his SOG knife dripped of the blood of the Ultranationalist that now lied dead on his feet. If the CIA is onto you, pray that they don't send men from the SAD. But more so pray that they don't send a man that the SAD/SOG call "Jack the Ripper", in other words pray that they don't send Agent Jack Hudson to take you out.

His men stared at him in shock for a second before realizing what just happened, how did he get in? Who was he? How did he not get spotted by the surveillance cameras? All those questions swarmed through the minds of the Ultranationalists as Hudson was already onto the next victim. Rushing up to the man on his left he kicked him straight in his diaphragm causing him to fall on his face, but the second his face hit the floor the man with the shades already put a bullet in the back of his head with the Ultranationalist's own gun and dropping it right next to him.

The next man who was in front of him ran up and tried to shoot him in the head at close range, but Hudson was too quick for him. Grabbing his arm he swung him to the side and knocked him on the temple with the handle of his blade, now that he was stunned he twisted his arm and put him in a headlock and proceed to stab him in the center of his chest. Finished with him, the American tossed him down to the ground and grabbed the pistol that he tried to shoot him with. As he snatched it from the dead man's hands, they opened fire on them. Terrified Ultranationalist deemed their rounds to be inaccurate as they couldn't shoot straight in trying to comprehend that this was really happening. One 9mm round zipped past his head which caused Hudson to whip his head back at them glaring at the person who shot at him behind those blackened shades.

Standing up he'd get in his modified weaver stance and start marking his targets, it almost seemed as if time slowed down around him. Hudson eyes weaved all around him but he stood like a rock for a millisecond, he counted five hostiles. Two on his 12, one at his 9, and one at his 3 'o clock. In swiftness and surgical precision, he shot down his marked targets with extreme prejudice. Shooting one of them in front of him down, with a bullet between his eyes. Taking down the next one on his left side, with a quick turn of his heel to turn his body to the left and take him down with three shots, two in the chest and one in the head. The one on his right side, he whipped his arm out using only one hand now shooting that one in the diaphragm. Now that he took out his targets of interest he left the one that he took out first who didn't get shot for his pleasure.

"Next." He muttered as he approached him, the redhead Japanese male terrified broke out two shots at the agent but they past by his head and even so he still kept marching towards him. Dropping the pistol, the redhead tried to throw a punch but it didn't even get as close to Hudson's unshaved five 'o clock shadow as he just knocked him on the head and grabbed him. Holding him close he used him as a human shield, whispering the words in Japanese to him so he can understand him better. _"You move you die." _

Now that he had himself a hostage, Hudson had more freedom to move around. The fellow Ultranationalists started shooting at him trying to hit him, not their friend but because of that fear that those men held, that inability to do whatever the cost to get the job done. That is why they all die tonight. With their rounds missing their target, Hudson unloaded his own barrage of 9mm downrange at them. Seeing their bodies fall behind him, the redhead couldn't take it anymore; he had fight back while there was still some honor left in his being. He struggled and squirmed in Hudson's grip and upon breaking out of it; he tried to snatch the CIA agent's pistol out of his hands.

As noble as that was he violated the mutual agreement that he established between the redhead Japanese Ultranationalist and the CIA agent. You move you die. So now he dies, breaking out of his attempt to steal this already stolen gun out of his hands he pistol whipped him, unsheathed his bloody SOG knife once again and stabbed it into his throat cavity. As he dug his untraceable SOG blade into his throat, listening to all of the sounds a neck's organs make when metal comes into contact he looked over at the two men running to him. One of them holding a shotgun for that instance, sucking his teeth that he has to interrupt his fun he retracted his knife from the man's throat and tossed his lifeless body towards them. They fell down toppling over like a pair of bowling pins.

Now sticking the handle of his knife to his pistol so he don't have to sheathe it again and if need be he'll just use it again he shot the other man who went down with him in the head before making his way up the stairs where another round zipped by his head again, this time a bit closer grazing his cheek. Hudson's features cringed and he instantly grabbed his cheek with his left hand that held his knife and rubbed the wound that now started to bleed out. It was just a flesh wound but it still hurt, but not enough to stop his massacre. Maybe it was the adrenaline?

"Bastards…" Hudson screamed out. He didn't know but now that his blood was shed on in this warehouse, they were all going to die now. Sucking his teeth and growling under his breath he pressed his body against the wall of the stairway as more handgun rounds passed by him, he'd stable himself up and start shooting off at them but they missed as the perpetrator of grazed cheek with some good cover fire from two Ultranationalists holding an Uzi and another handgun, the grazed cheek perp was able to run into the manager's office while even getting Hudson to get into cover too.

He took cover by ducking into the railing and heard the sounds of bullets bouncing off the metal rail, he popped up out of cover and took aim and fired at the Uzi wielding Ultranationalist. He went down like a sack of potatoes and Hudson now had to move fast, he ran up the stairway dodging incoming fire from the pistol wielding man who now had him pinned against the only cover left next to the manager's office door. Hudson pressed himself against the wall and tossed the Ultranationalist's pistol he's been using the entire time since it was now empty. Seeing that he tossed the gun away while he was in cover, the Ultranationalist tried to take some potshots at him but they bounced from the edge of the pillar on the top of the stairway.

"Jack! Jack, do you copy?" sparked the radio on the back of his pants. Hudson cursed at his partner Wheeler who tried to get his attention at the worst of times. Snatching his own USP .45 and his radio he pressed the talk button while poking in and out of cover to try to get a suppressive shot at the Ultranationalist so he could stay in cover. Hudson didn't like to get pinned down and to be talking on the radio while getting pinned down.

"I'm a little busy right now, Wheeler!" He screamed over the sounds of pistol rounds zipping past his cover. Hudson turned his radio off and clipped it back to the back of his pants. Breaking out from cover he tried to engage him more closely but the guy shot Hudson in the chest which pushed him back all the way to wall. The Ultranationalist thought he had him when he saw the hole he left in his bloody white shirt was not the American's blood or even his own skin, but a bulletproof vest, his skin turned pale for a second. It was only a second that was allowed because after getting pushed back to the wall from the inferior stopping power of a 9mm round he lifted his USP and fired a round into the Ultranationalist chest putting him down. Try a .45 caliber round for better stopping power next time, well there won't be a next time for him, he thought.

Looking over his shoulder at the manager's office that had a little window on the door, he tried to see if the guy was still in there that ran in earlier after grazing his cheek. The smart thing would have been to run away and give Jack the Ripper chase, but he stayed in there trying to surprise him and shoot at the slightest image of him from the manager's office door window. Hudson pulled his head back from the window and planted his body against the side of the door; looking at his grenades resting on his holster he had a sinister idea. He grabbed it from his holster and pulled the pin, holding onto it for two seconds letting it cook in his hand. Hudson tossed it into the manager's office and covered his ears for the inevitable. A large explosion muffled the sounds of the screams of the man who actually almost lived to say he grazed the cheek of Jack the Ripper. Now that the deed was done he leaped from the top railing down to the lower deck and was on his way to the desk that held all of Yukoku Doshikai's documents of their latest findings. But shotgun rounds were now more prominent. Buckshot was flying all over the place after he landed trying to hit the agent.

'_How can I be so stupid and not kill him instead of that other guy! Shit!' _Hudson thought as he took cover behind a box that was rather close to the shotgun wielding Ultranationalist. It was only momentary so he can holster his pistol and his knife back and find a way to get to him, two seconds of thinking was allowed since the Ultranationalist crept up to him and try to get the jump on the CIA agent. Reaction time was key, he sprung up, grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and pointed it the other way with so much force that the man wielding it stumbled around a bit. It gave him enough time to punch him in the face and swing his stunned body around, snatching his shotgun away from him and blowing his life away with it. A solid buckshot from Hudson was all that was needed to bury him to the ground; he cocked it back letting the expired shell fall to the ground next to its user.

Seeing that everyone was dead, no need to hold it no longer. He tossed the shotgun down next to its dead user and walked over to the desk where the documents lay in waiting for him.

Hudson pushed documents aside and picked one up and read it. "Completed moving all products to warehouse bravo. Standby for further instructions?" _Fuck._ He thought as he grabbed whatever he can get and folded it into his pockets. It was time to cover his tracks. He grabbed two of them, pulling their rings back and tossed them all over the place. Five seconds later they blew up around canisters and erupted half of this place in separate flames but that wasn't enough, Hudson then grabbed the bottle that read flammable on it and poured it all over the desk and tossed it towards the back of the warehouse. Pulling out two miniature flares from his waist pack, he lit them up tossing one of them over to where the bottle was and then dropping one on the desk. The Agent watched as the table and the entire facility lit up in flames.

"It's time to go." He said to himself as he turned the other way and broke out in a dash out of the building, sprinting as fast as he could out of the building that was burning down behind him and across the street. Disappearing into the forest near the Lumber Yard he was gone as quick as he came.

* * *

"Alright, so let me get this straight. Our meeting in Yemen was tracked by the CIA?" Asked a confused Shusuke as he stood on the edge of the pier. Sajadi who was in more civilian attire but still held his weaponry dear to him.

The Taliban operative had a pair of dark gray jeans and a silk black dress shirt, and of course he still donned his white keffiyeh scarf around his neck. He didn't look dressed for combat at all but he still had the same weapons he always used since his great battles in Marjah. The same AK-47 slung around his shoulders and his bolt action Lee Enfield in his hands. The Jihadist looked at Shusuke who may have appeared confused but he himself was a little put back about his indifference about an American Agency who are capable of making people disappear is now on his case.

"That is correct. If you want some more food for thought, just ten minutes after we left to go discuss our own little meeting here in Japan, the meet was bombed by an American UAV." Reported Sajadi, Shusuke nodded and walked back to one of the wooden poles and leaned his back against it.

"I see. But does the CIA know about us? You know…know about you being here at least?"

"Yes they do. My name is very familiar among the intelligence community, they have all of my aliases on record and one of them rang a bell. They know I'm here but they don't know about you. If they knew about you…well you wouldn't be standing here. I on the other hand, am pretty lucky that I haven't run out of any of my tricks yet." Sajadi grinned, inwardly loving the feeling that he can still evade such prestigious organizations such as the CIA just as well as Osama Bin Laden. Except Bin Laden did it in his home country and other Middle Eastern countries of responsibility, Farzad Sajadi is doing it world-wide.

"But you said that they are on to me? That doesn't make sense." Now asked Shusuke who kicked himself off of the pole he once leaned on.

"Well they aren't after you, a tip from an anonymous infidel gave it away saying an individual from the Yukoku Doshikai was in Yemen. Whoever who ratted you out didn't give much info about it besides where the meet was, and well…they found it, blew it up, and didn't recover any bodies matching my men, myself, or a Japanese male. They guessed Japanese because once they looked up the Ultranationalist party and they only found men and women of Japanese descent. So it could be anyone, who knows. Oh right! There was only one Japanese man at that meeting, and he's standing right in front of me. But your little secret revolutionary group knows about your visit to Yemen. So do the math, my friend. They are onto you without literally being onto you and you might have yourself a rat among men."

Now Shusuke had to think, looking down at his polished shoes he rubbed his chin and thought hard. During that time he only told two people he could trust in the Black Louts that he went out to Yemen. Watari Watanabe and Hoshi Hikari. According to Watari, Hoshi already rat him out to Souichiro about him planning a revolution, about his little deals and friendly visits with the Yakuza, and other things. But there was nothing he could do about Hoshi's dishonorable acts, he was already killed by Tagaki for such acts against the Yukoku Doshikai. But what can stop him from telling others about Shusuke's acts against the world even? Who can stop Hoshi from telling America about a new threat to their ways of life besides what the Taliban already have done with their current war on terrorism?

"Well the rat is taken care of, not by my hand though. I wish I got the chance to do so though…" Shusuke looked up from his thinking pose and smirked. "I'll be sure to take my anger out on the CIA bastard who tries to get in the way of our plans."

Sajadi smiled and bowed down to Shusuke. "I believe you probably would. But one thing though," He said rising from his respectful stance. "We might have some intruders who actually evaded my crosshairs…"

"What?" Shusuke now looking a little shocked for once.

"I was pulling some guard duty, watching the Lumber Yard from afar. My prayers with Allah gave me a little hint stating that I wasn't the only man in the forest. I caught sight of two men. I tried to give chase but they were good…real good…" Sajadi tightened the hold he had on his rifle as he felt his own ego drop saying all of this; nobody ever escapes his crosshairs till tonight. "I caught them entering the back of the facility. That's when I decided to call you; it must have been the CIA. Instead of just going to engage them myself, I came here to tell you in person."

Shusuke said nothing as he turned and looked at the docks of the pier, watching the ducks float in the water with their little ducklings. But Sajadi came to his side and whispered to him. "Your men might be already dead."

"I see," Shusuke shrugged it off and looked at him with the creepiest smile in the Jihadist's life. His eyes were closed and his grin as wide as ever. "Such as the way of life."

This is where Sajadi had a little problem. "But Tachibana, these men died for you."

"They died for their country; they died for the future of Japan. They died for the Black Lotus! Not for me, Sajadi. But you of all people shouldn't be judging me…" Shusuke said as he turned his head back to the waters. "You, you Taliban fanatics, and all those tribal leaders all believe in the same thing."

"Yes we do. But with Allah, if we die for him, we are granted eternal life and entrance into paradise! These men are granted nothing."

"Please, don't preach to me with your religious babbling. You all die for pussy with your talks of 74 virgins and milk and honey. You are the same as me."

Farzad stepped into Shusuke's face and looked him dead in the eye. "Do not talk about Islam like that…"

"Or what?" Shusuke said not backing down, the Jihadist narrowed his eyes and raised the barrel of his Lee Enfield to the Ultranationalist without any remorse in his features.

"The Quran says…if anyone talks about Mohammad or anything of Islam and its beliefs. You should terrorize him…and kill him in the name of Allah. Allah is telling me to kill you, Shusuke Tachibana."

Without Sajadi noticing, Tachibana was able to unsheathe his chokuto and press the tip of his blade against the Jihadist's neck. Sajadi looked down at the blade and then looked back up at Shusuke's eyes, they looked as dark as he imagined they'd be. The eyes of a devil. The defender of Allah didn't falter as he stood and kept the barrel of his Lee Enfield against Shusuke's neck.

"Really? Is that so?" Shusuke smiled darkly as he whispered down to him, "Understand this. You are just as expendable as those men inside of warehouse alpha. In my culture, it's all about honor and those who bare strength. The weak shall die, while the strong will persevere through anything. Tagaki-sama taught me that…"

"I'm expendable? You need me, you know that." Farzad said as he grinded his barrel against Shusuke's neck. Shusuke in response raised his blade upwards gently, piercing his neck a little. The sight of Afghani blood running down his blade put a smile on his face.

Farzad bit down on his lip and grunted from the Ultranationalist pricking him with his sword, but he still didn't falter in his stance. Shusuke liked this as he lowered his sword from his neck, putting this Mexican standoff at a halt.

"You're right, you are absolutely right. I do need you, you are strong Farzad. You are fit for the new world that we are going to create. Now than...shall we?" He said as he turned around and walked towards his car whilst sheathing his sword back, leaving Sajadi there dumbfounded. "Or do you still want to kill me in the name of your God?"

"Hmph, I suppose I could let you slide...just this one time. Allah would understand." He said shouldering his bolt-action rifle, with a grin he shrugged his other shoulder and rubbed his trimmed chin hair. "I mean...it would be a shame if I killed you without you knowing how your men died."

That's when Shusuke stopped in his steps and looked over his shoulder, the collar of his trenchcoat blocked the lower half of his face as he spoke. "What was that?"

"Your men. Don't you want to know how they died?" Sajadi said as he walked up behind him, slowly as he crept up over his other shoulder. "I'm sure someone as you would want to take vengeance against the people responsible for your people's lives being taken so quickly."

Shusuke sighed and closed his eyes. "And how are you going to do that?" He paused as he turned around to face the Afghan and chuckle lightly. "Conjure up some magical Arabian spell and howl at the moon or something?"

Sajadi laughed and walked past him, sitting himself on Shusuke's prized car he laid his rifle on his lap and clapped his hands. "I planted a spy cam in the warehouse. I told you I had a feeling that something was going to go down, courtesy to Allah of course, so I took precautions and planted a spy cam disguised as a teddy bear. With this intelligence we can find out who killed your men, what kind of force we are dealing with, and how we can plan his demise."

Shusuke looked over at him and just shook his head. Walking to the driver's seat he'd pull the car door and looked at him once more. "Sounds like a plan."

Getting in the car he'd take off his trenchcoat and undo the straps holding his sword to the back of his waist and put it next to him as he started up the engine. Once Sajadi got inside and sat on the passenger seat he gave him a weird look that even the Jihadist got confused.

"What?"

"Why did you disguised it as a teddy bear?"

He shrugged and laid himself back. "I was bored."

Shaking his head he drove off into the distance.

* * *

Takashi Komuro laid his head in a textbook as he napped his pains away. He had a idiotic test coming up, he was failing some of his classes due to cutting and just being unmotivated, and his best friend is going out with the girl of his dreams. In other words, his life sucked. As his spiky locks danced in the tiny breeze that came with sitting next to the window in the Tokonosu public library he had to debate to himself inwardly, was it the late afternoon breeze that slowly caused him to stir himself awake or was it the dropping of probably four other textbooks down to the table courtesy to Saya Tagaki right in front of him.

"Hey! Quit sleeping you idiot!" She screamed out as she pounded her fists into the table, so hard that the iced mocha latte that the two shared almost toppled over. Some people who were studying looked over their shoulders at the two and rolled their eyes while others stared.

"Oi, oi...calm down it's a library. You gotta be quiet, y'know?" Takashi murrmured as she settled himself in a comfortable position with his chin on top of his crossed forearns.

The pinkette glared at him then looked over her shoulder watching the others stare over at their table. She switched her eyes on him who just looked like he didn't give a fuck. Takashi Komuro; the guy who just didn't give a flying fuck if he passes or fails High School. Why of all people did she had to be blessed with taking care of her childhood friend? And did he had to be so cocky too? Bending over she whispered down to him, speaking up in an audible level where he can hear her.

"Calm down? How the fuck am I supposed to calm down when you should be studying? The only thing you seem to be catching up on is this catnap of yours."

"I was doing such a bang up job at it too till you had to give me such a bountiful early Christmas present." Takashi said raising himself up and picking up one of the textbooks and reading the cover. "Huh, **_Pre-cal and you_**. Merry Christmas to me."

"How do you expect to pass with that kind of attitude? Honestly Takashi. You make me so mad sometimes!" She said as she clutched her fists and stared down at him. Takashi in the other sense instead of looking up at her, he looked down her uniform blouse's cleavage. Saya's breasts were just hanging there, just having a good time. Nodding along to her scolding she still didn't notice that he was just staring at her cleavage.

"Uh-huh. Since when are you not mad?" His eyes went from Saya's cleavage to the couple by the bookshelves over a little distance from him and Saya. His little tiny smile turned into a look of indifference as he watched Hisashi Igo and Rei Miyamoto fool around in the library. His best friend and his other childhood friend who just so happens to be the love of his life now making out in secrecy. Takashi just zoned out of Saya's ranting of how she's such a genius and how he should be grateful that she took him to library out of her time, how she's late and everything now because of him.

He watched as Hisashi pick Rei up and put her against the bookcase and started to kiss her neck. Takashi can only imagine how soft her moans must have been since her mouth was open and her eyes were closed.

"We can't do this here, what if we get caught?" Rei whispered down to Hisashi.

"That's part of the fun..." Hisashi whispered as he slithered his hand up her skirt and rested his hand against her butt and kissed up her neck and nibbled on her ear a little bit. Rei had to cover her mouth while still holding onto him, she didn't want to moan too loud as he does what he wants with her.

Takashi just kept watching on, with jealousy and yearning. Saya snapped him out of his little fantasy world. "Hey, hey, hey! Come on we're going to go to Starbucks before you walk me home."

"Wait what? I'm walking you home?"

Saya looked at him as if he was stupid as she picked her books up and shoved them in her backpack, "Uhh, yeah! Because of this little study session, I'm late! I was supposed to be home by 4:00, it's almost 6PM now!" She finished as she took her glasses off and put them in her case. "Fuck I hate these things..."

She got him there, with a sigh he stood up from his seat and picked up his notebook and his backpack. "Alright, alright. Lets get that frappachino." Takashi said as he already started walking out the door, Saya ran up behind to follow.

_x-Devil May Cry_


End file.
